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As the debate over the proposed sale of national assets rages, it has been  exclusively confirm that President Muhammadu Buhari is not in the least bit keen on the disposal of Nigeria’s strategic assets as a means of shoring up foreign exchange reserves and/or ending the economic recession in the country.

Buhari’s position which he has kept very close to his chest, came to light just as a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, faulted the proposal that has been flaunted by members of the federal government’s Economic Management Team (EMT) and has received the blessing of the National Economic Council (NEC) and Senate President Bukola Saraki, among others, saying such a hasty auction of national assets could only benefit a privileged few with cash and access, while jeopardising Nigeria’s long-term economic interest.
According to sources very close to the president, Buhari would never sanction the sale of Nigeria’s strategic and all-important national assets, but has elected to keep quiet over the issue so that he would not be accused of expressing his opposition to the notion, just like he did with the issue of devaluation.
One presidency source, who spoke to THISDAY monday, said what the president was focused on implementing, as a “quick fix” to get Nigeria out of recession, was on external borrowing for infrastructure projects.
He said: “The sale of national assets is not on the president’s radar at all. What he is fixated on is on borrowings and as you are aware the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently gave the Federal Ministry of Finance approval to borrow $29 billion from external sources.”
Another source also volunteered that about $3 billion would be coming in from the China Exim Bank for the rail projects within the next few days.
He said this would just be one of several facilities raised by Nigeria to meet its funding gap for infrastructure projects, which is a sure way of ensuring that money trickles down into the economy and employment opportunities are created through the award of contracts.
He also faulted the proponents for the sale of national assets, stating that if due process had to be followed, it would take a minimum of two years to sell any of the assets and was therefore not a quick and certain route out of the recession.